TAMPA — Before the Yankees’ brass huddled after batting practice last night at Steinbrenner Field, manager Joe Girardi dropped a strong hint that Freddy Garcia will be named the fifth starter and Bartolo Colon will open the season in the bullpen.

Barring a trade or injury, of course.

Yesterday’s deal that sent Sergio Mitre to the Brewers for outfielder Chris Dickerson cleared the way for Colon and Garcia to make the team.

Another club looking for pitching contacted the Yankees earlier this week and asked about Colon and Garcia. That team was told they were both going to make it and around baseball it became known the Yankees were willing to listen on Mitre, who can start and relieve. The Brewers took all of Mitre’s $900,000.

What Girardi said about Colon in the bullpen was a strong indication that’s where the 37-year-old will land.

“I think Bartolo’s velocity might play up if we put him in the bullpen,” Girardi said of the right-hander whose fastball has been clocked at 95 mph this spring. “I am not sure about Freddy, I am not sure about what Freddy could do. Freddy, at this point in his career, is more of a finesse guy. Bartolo, you see it in his starts. He might throw seven, eight out of 10 fastballs and locate them. A lot of guys when they go to the bullpen it plays up a couple of miles.”

After a 6-4 win over the Astros, Girardi suggested he is ready to announce spots today.

“We will have a lot more information, but I need to talk to my players first,” Girardi said. “Just out of fairness, I need to talk to them.”

The fifth starter spot may not be the only decision announced. Backup catcher could be divulged, too.

Because the Yankees won’t need a fifth starter until April 9 in Boston if there aren’t any rainouts before then, Garcia and Colon will start the year in the pen.

Girardi’s reluctance to identify the No. 5 starter has to do with potential injury or a last-minute trade for a starter better than Ivan Nova, the fourth starter, and Colon and Garcia.

“What if one of them gets hurt?” Girardi said.

Considering their injury history, that’s not out of the question.

Because of their history, the right-handers are in camp on make-good contracts. Colon, who didn’t pitch last year because of arm trouble, gets $900,000 if he makes the team. Garcia, who won 12 games for the White Sox but worked a total of 23 games from 2007-09, will earn $1.5 million if he makes the club and be in line for an additional $3.5 million in performance bonuses.

As for last night’s meeting, Cashman said a decision might be made but not followed by an announcement.

“I can’t tell you if you will get a white puff of smoke today,” Cashman said. “We have to make [the decision] pretty soon. We have to line up for Thursday [Opening Day]. It’s coming soon.”

Of course, there are other questions beyond Garcia and Colon. After CC Sabathia, what type of year A.J. Burnett is in for is a popular topic. So, too, is Hughes’ lack of velocity. In his last two outings Phil Hughes has worked at 88-to-90 mph. He is usually closer to the mid-90s.

Nevertheless, the identity of the No. 4 and No. 5 starters was the hot topic when camp opened. Nova is the fourth, and Girardi sounded like a manager ready to put Colon in the pen.